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Electricity, Phone, Internet, TV, Radio, Public Transportation, Banking, Postal and Other Services in Solomon Islands

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The most important utility services provided by Solomon Islands are electricity, water supply and sanitation, transportation and communications. Electricity is provided by the Solomon Islands Electricity Authority (SIEA) through diesel-fired generators installed on strategic areas. With a production or generation capacity of about 60 million KW, the generators supply nearly all of the country’s electricity requirements opposite a total consumption of 58 million KW. Electricity production is sustained by maintaining enough supply of fossil fuel imports that account for 30% of the country’s total imports, and a substantial part of operational costs. Added to the problem of systems loss brought about by power theft and natural calamities, the high cost of fuel importation affects operational efficiency. Plans are underway, however, to improve the agency’s operational efficiency and financial sustainability by undertaking programs focused on reducing loss and operational cost and improving its power generation capacity at the same time.

The water supply and sanitation system is under separate supervision of agencies for the urban and rural areas. The water supply requirements of the urban centers are served by the Solomon Islands Water Authority, which takes care of water development in the urban centers. The rural areas are served by the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation under the Ministry of Health and Medical Services. In communication, public radio services are operated by the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, while a daily newspaper, two weekly papers and telephone services by private companies. The transportation service consists of 35 airports, three heliports, 1,360 kilometers of roadways, including the 800-kilometer plantation roads, and sea ports and terminals in three important locations in the country.